Stenton

It's going to be a busy June at Stenton! We hope to see you at our upcoming programs this month. Visit www.stenton.org/programs for more info and to RSVP.

June 9th, 5:30-8:30 PM - Freedom Isn’t Free: How Spirited Dissent Powered the American Revolution

June 13th, 12:00-4:00 PM - Second Saturday Family Archive Workshop with UPenn’s Kislack Center​ (RSVP required)

June 17th, 6:00-7:30 PM - Logan Elementary Schoolyard Listening Session

June 24th, 4:00-7:00 PM - Firefly Hours: Paint

June 25th, 4:00-7:00 PM - Firefly Hours: Quilt

June 26th, 5:30-6:30 PM - Firefly Hours: Insect Investigators (RSVP required)

June 27th, 1:00 & 2:30 PM - Alison's Tea Room Tea Party & Tour (Tickets required)

Today was all about pewter at Stenton! ‘Sadware’ artists Bri Murphy and Belle-Pilar Fleming talked about the inspiration behind and creation of their exhibit (on view at Stenton through July 4th, part of with The Clay Studio). Then, Curator Don Fennimore provided historical context about pewter as a material and its craft. We ended the day with an up-close examination of pewter objects from the Stenton collection.

In honor of the Semiquincentennial and The Clay Studio's Radical Americana, please join us at Stenton on Friday, May 22nd for a day that combines consideration and examination of historical pewter objects with 'Sadware', a contemporary artists’ installation that commemorates pewter as a historically important metal with a longstanding place in American nostalgia culture. 'Sadware' asks us what we value, culturally and monetarily and why, and speaks to changes over time, memory, authority, collecting, and discarding.

Pewter – a malleable, silver-colored metal alloy composed of tin, copper, and antimony, or bismuth

Sadware -- an obsolete term referring to heavy, flat, or hammered pieces of fine pewter, such as plates.

Space is limited! RSVP here: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/stenton/sadware-and-historic-pewter-talks-workshop

PROGRAM SCHEDULE:

10:00 AM - Coffee & Refreshments

10:30 AM - Pewter & 'Sadware' – Craft, Nostalgia, and Value

Artists Belle-Pilar Fleming and Bri Murphy consider pewter objects as opportunities to examine notions of American identity, inheritance, and consumerism across generations. They will discuss the research and concept behind their embroidery-based installation, now on view at Stenton, as part of the Clay Studio’s 250th Anniversary project Radical Americana.

11:20 AM - Pewter in the Service of Humankind

Curator Don Fennimore will ground our day in the physical properties of pewter, its composition and craft, why it was used, why it fell out of favor over time, and why families like the Logans imported London-made pewter.

12:00 PM - Lunch and 'Sadware' viewing

1:00-2:00 PM - Hands-on Pewter Workshop

Second Saturday season arrives this weekend for !

Join us May through October every second Saturday for afternoon of free house tours, arts programming, and leisure time in our greenspaces.

See you soon!

It’s a little late for an post, but here at Stenton, we appreciate nature every day of the year! Have you ever seen this insect? Two hummingbird moths were spotted hovering around the phlox in Stenton’s garden yesterday. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air. They even emit an audible hum like hummingbirds! At Stenton, we “leave the leaves” rather than raking them to the curb. This allows for many species, like the hummingbird moth, to cocoon undisturbed under the leaves or in the ground until they re-emerge in the spring.

There's still time to RSVP to the Stenton Garden Party!

Join Stenton and The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America- Pennsylvania on Thursday, May 7th, 5:00-7:00 PM. All proceeds support the preservation of Stenton and the education of Philadelphia schoolchildren through the History Hunters Program.

Purchase tickets here: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/stenton/the-stenton-garden-party-2011894078

Oral history has been a major part of Black storytelling for centuries. Come and be a part of this legacy by sharing YOUR story with the Stenton and Stenton Park Rec Center family.

has been going around the state collecting stories from Black Pennsylvanians and their final stop is here in Philadelphia. Let’s show up and show out and let the world know what Black Philly is all about!

We only have a few slots left, so please be sure to RSVP via the link in our bio.

250 years ago, April 15, 1776, Dinah received her manumission paper from William and Hannah Logan, thereby liberating her from slavery. As noted on the manumission document, Dinah had requested her freedom. Despite her status as a newly free woman, Dinah remained at Stenton as a paid servant, along with her young grandson Cyrus, until her death in 1805.

Please join us at Stenton this Saturday, April 18th from 12:00-4:00pm to celebrate Dinah Day 250 and to learn more about Dinah through themed house tours and performances by Irma Gardner-Hammond. For a full event schedule and to RSVP, visit: https://www.stenton.org/programs

Image: “Release from Bondage,” Dinah’s Manumission, April 15, 1776. Haverford College Library, Quaker and Special Collections

EVENT POSTPONED - STAY TUNED FOR NEW DATE!

Stitch Together a Legacy: "A Warming of Our Neighborhoods Quilt-a-thon" on MLK Day 2026.

Honor the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in a powerful day of collective service at the "Warming of Our Neighborhoods Quiltathon" on January 19, 2026 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. This community-wide initiative invites volunteers of all skill levels to join in creating handmade quilts, which will be distributed to provide essential warmth and comfort to our neighbors in need. The Quiltathon will bridge history and community, taking place simultaneously at two significant neighborhood hubs: the Olney Community Collaborative and the historic grounds of Stenton Museum. Whether you are an experienced quilter or simply wish to help with cutting and sorting, your contribution will directly help stitch together the fabric of our community. This is an opportunity to transform a day off into a day of action. All materials and guidance will be provided. Join us to turn service into warmth and make a tangible difference in our neighborhoods.

RSVP Here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/stenton/quilt-a-thon

Happy New Year to you and yours!

January 1st is the final day of the weeklong celebration of . On this day, we meditate on the final principle, (faith). As we look towards the promise of 2026, it will be the faith within ourselves, our families, and near neighbors that will sustain us through the year.

Thank you so much to for hosting a beautiful Kwanzaa gathering here at Stenton and reminding us the importance of the in our daily lives.